IRVING, Texas -- Russell Wilson will make his 52nd straight start Sunday, dating to his three years at N.C. State, one year at Wisconsin and one game with Seattle.

While much was made of five rookie quarterbacks starting in Week 1 of the NFL season, Wilson, Seattle’s third-round pick, had the most experience even if his ascension to the role was the most surprising.

“The fact that in all four years in college I started every game and just played a lot of football, that really helped, especially at the conferences I was in,” Wilson said. “I was in the ACC for three years, then going to the Big 10, also going to N.C. State with a pro-style offense, then Wisconsin with the vertical, play-action run the ball down your throat offense, I got the best of both worlds.”

Seattle looked like it wanted to make free-agent pickup Matt Flynn its starter, but Wilson won the job in training camp.

“Everything he did was impressive, from the rookie minicamp where he took every snap and just took over and assumed a leadership position,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “He was well prepared. He functioned well. He made plays. He made mistakes, as you would expect, but he made a lot of things happen. He has a way a about him. We learned he’s a great competitor. He studies as much as anybody can study to prepare himself. He’s really a cool competitor, very poised.”

And now he gets a Rob Ryan defense known for a myriad of looks designed to confuse even veteran quarterbacks (although it should be noted Ryan was fairly basic vs. the Giants in the opener).

“More than anything, just trust the process of the week and trust what the coaches are telling us and teaching us and go with it,” Wilson said. “And come game time, trust what I’m seeing and just play ball.”